Does wearing heels make women feel more confident and look sexy?

Melanie McCrum and Partner Mark Devlin have been dating for four months (Image: Steve Welsh)

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HOW many of us have uttered the immortal words on a night out: “My feet are killing me!”

If there is one sure-fire way to put a dampener on a Saturday night, it’s pinching heels and aching feet.

We’ve all done it – fallen in love with a fabulous pair of sexy heels in the store, but after a few hours on the dancefloor they seem more like instruments of torture.

Is all that pain really worth it, though? A team of scientists at The University of Portsmouth seem to think so. Their recent studies have proved that high heels do improve women’s posture.

They change the way the entire body moves – including the pelvis, hips, legs, knees, feet and even shoulders – to emphasise femininity.

Researchers found women wearing heels were rated more attractive than when they were wearing flat shoes.

We spoke to three high-heel wearing girls – and their partners, too – to find out if wearing heels really can make women look more sexy.

Victoria Middleton, 19, is a model from East Kilbride. She's been dating Jeff Gilmour, 25, from Glasgow for a year.

VICTORIA

"COMFORT is the most important thing for me.

“If I tried on a pair of shoes that I couldn’t walk in comfortably, I definitely would not buy them.

“I do feel more confident when wearing heels and I love being so tall. Heels make you feel more powerful and they put you in a different mindset. They make your posture better and you feel slimmer, too.

“In my job I have to wear uncomfortable shoes sometimes and it can really affect your confidence. Instead of striding confidently, you’re worried about falling over in front of everyone.

“I tend to go for platforms or lace-up boots that are easier to walk in. Even on a night out I sometimes wear flats.

“I saw a girl the other day in stunning platform Louboutins, but she was struggling to walk, so they made her less attractive. If she had been strutting confidently, it would have been a different story.”

Model Victoria Middleton and her partner Jeff Gilmour have been dating for a year (Image: Paul Chappells)

JEFF

“VICTORIA'S a bit taller than me and most of the time she dresses casually and wears flat shoes.

“When we met she was wearing flats, but when she wears heels it’s a nice change.

“Her legs definitely look longer and more slender.

“I know a few guys who don’t like their girlfriend looking taller than them, but I think that’s an insecurity thing. We’re in the 21st century, so height shouldn’t matter and it does not bother me at all.

“Victoria asks my opinion on her outfits, but I wouldn’t dream of telling her what to wear.

“I think there’s a time and a place for big heels. It’s nice, and it looks like she’s made an effort to get dressed up if she wears them. If she wore them all the time, I wouldn’t appreciate it as much.

“Women should be able to be comfortable and have down time, too.

“They shouldn’t feel pressured into wearing heels that are painful or uncomfortable for them.”

Melanie McCrum, 28, is a medical secretary from Dumbarton. She has been dating Mark Devlin, an active schools coordinator, for four months.

MELANIE

“I ONLY own two pairs of flat shoes – a pair for the gym and a pair for emergencies. I’ve been wearing heels since I was 15 years old and I wear them everywhere.

“I don’t find them uncomfortable at all. I wear them to the supermarket and I’ve even worn them hillwalking.

“I must have more than 100 pairs. I’m only 5ft 2ins, so they make me feel much slimmer and taller. The higher, the better.

“I’d never change for a guy who prefers flats. I’m a high-heels kind of girl, so if you take me, my heels come as part of the deal.

“I’m going to add to my collection of flat shoes, though.

“I’m going to Kenya next week as a charity volunteer and obviously I’m not going to wear heels for that. I’ll have to get a few appropriate pairs of shoes.”

MARK

“I AGREE with the study. I think heels makes women look more sexy, sophisticated and classy. Most guys would say the same thing.

“When I met Melanie, she was wearing a green dress and had ­­­seven-inch high boots on. I thought she looked great and she caught my eye immediately.

“Melanie has lots of nice shoes but I’m not really a big fan of wedges.

“If we went on a date and she wore flats, I’d think she couldn’t be bothered making an effort to see me. But now we’ve been together a while, there are times when she wears them. If we’re going for a walk or something, it’s ok to wear flat shoes. I want her to be comfortable.”

Alana Herron, 31, runs her own casting agency and lives in Cumbernauld with her husband Ross Hughes, 35.

Alana and her husband Ross live in Cumbernauld (Image: Steve Welsh)

ALANA

“I DON'T actually have that many pairs of heels at the moment. When I was pregnant I went up a shoe size and I had to give a lot of my old shoes away.

“Now that I have two daughters, it’s more important to be comfortable, so I just haven’t bought many pairs of heels.

“Day to day, I’m always in flat shoes or boots. It’s much more practical.

“Luckily, in my industry, casual dress is normal. People wear jeans to work so I can get away with dressing down most days.

“I do like wearing heels if I’m going on a night out, partly because I know Ross likes me in them, and partly because they give me a bit more confidence.

“They make your posture better and sometimes it’s worth the pain.

“I bought a pair of shoes recently that really hurt my feet. I went out with the girls in them and we danced all night.

“The next day I had these huge blisters all over my feet – it was such a great night out, though!”

ROSS

"I DEFINITELY prefer heels. All women look better in heels and I think they make women feel more confident - that, in turn, makes them look more sexy.

"Saying that, I'm not sure why women want to buy heels that they can't walk in. It doesn't look good and it can;t be much fun when you're on a night out!

"I just can't understand why anyone would want to wear something that inflicts pain - but that may be the difference between men and women.

"I wouldn't say I wished Alana wore heels more often. I do like it when she wears them on a night out, though, as she looks great.

"I wouldn't want her wearing them around the house... they would definitely slow her down when she is climbing the stairs with my coffee!"